Steam only release...

[Chris James]

Take heart Steam naysayers, Steam is a great service.

In light of reading of some negativity here about the Steam service, I thought I might share with you a recent experience I had with Steam.

A short while ago, I bought an old title on Steam. I've since finished the title, and noticed that there are 2 DLC's for the title available at Steam, but only as a big package with the game I already bought. The titles were also available at the game studio's website, but to buy them, I would have to spend real money to buy points, then spend the points to buy the DLC's, and create a new account with this company, and get a new e-mail account that I did not want, and give up all of my personal info again. On top of that, it would cost twice as much this way as it would through Steam. I won't name the company, but it rhymes with GreedyGiveMeAllYourInfoAndMoneySoft.

I contacted Steam and told them that I recently bought a game, and that I didn't realize that there was DLC available for that game, and that it would be cheaper to buy the big package. They said "No problem, buy the big package and we'll refund the other purchase." Just like that. No begging, apologizing, or crying. Steam helped me out, even thought I had made a mistake, and they had no fault in that mistake. In that moment Steam earned a loyal customer for life.

I know you're thinking "cool story bro," but what does that have to do with me or Assetto Corsa?" Well, I thought that Steam deserved to have a little good press here after how well they handled my situation. It was argued here by some that Steam sucks. We are all entitled to our opinion, and a negative opinion is certainly to be expected if you've had a bad experience with Steam. But sometimes the good can cancel out the bad. Give Steam a second chance. They certainly earned it with me, and I'm happy to give them my money for AC.

Rant over.

 

[nijeat]

I do believe steam is THE way for moving backwards,at least as much as costumer\consumer rights are concerned.This explains why.
I assume now you will have the chance to dislike my post as well

It's just surprising you are still here.

 

[Shadow Explorer]

I just check from time time to time.

 

[Kevin Ascher]

Good points, anyway I'd always prefer a boxed version.

 

[GamerMuscle]

I do believe steam is THE way for moving backwards,at least as much as costumer\consumer rights are concerned.This explains why.
I assume now you will have the chance to dislike my post as well

Its only an issue if you ever intended to sell the game in the future , if you like to collect physical game boxes , or if you are someone that just buys any game evaluates them and then decides to trade them or keep them.

Personally I'm happy to give up the right to be able to sell a second hand copy of a game if the original price of the game is allot lower , the game is updated often and in a seamless way , the game is largely multi-player , or if giving up those rights allows more people to develop games and allows the art to better thrive.

Both boxed games or download / access to software have postives and negatives and both can be done in a good way or a bad way.

For example what adobe is currently doing with its creative tools is an example of a total disaster and total screwing over of the consumer. Where as steam is an example of where it has enabled the price of games to decrease and the viability of software projects to increase.

 

[nijeat]

Anyway as long as steam only, hopefully there will be nice trading card and achievements.

 

[Simon Kaminski]

Seriously who needs them? I send all of my trading cards to friends...

 

[Marcel Pfister]

Anyway as long as steam only, hopefully there will be nice trading card and achievements.

I recognized a bit sarcasm in this post

 

[nijeat]

I recognized a bit sarcasm in this post

Haha but don't take me wrong, no sarcasm. I'm not a steam lover but I have no practical problem with steam and even positive.

And I know the trading card is just useless but on the other hand useful toys for others and it, for the developer is also money.

 

[Marcel Pfister]

Haha but don't take me wrong, no sarcasm. I'm not a steam lover but I have no practical problem with steam and even positive.

And I know the trading card is just useless but on the other hand useful toys for others and it, for the developer is also money.

I like steam too, but i think these trading cards are a bit needles

 

[Tom Michelmore]

I don't mind Assetto Corsa being released on Steam. I find Steam a nice easy way to group a load of games together without having to have a ton of icon shortcuts on my desktop . The only trouble I've had with them is converting Race 07 but that won't be a problem for Assetto Corsa.

 

[stenyak]

I would much prefer a release on GOG rather than on Steam. 10, 15 years from now, when/if steam has disappeared, I'd like to still be able to play the games I legally bought (just like I can still play GPL and RBR). The DRM in the then-defunct Steam will probably prevent you from playing, having to resort to pirate versions. A GOG version wouldn't have that problem.

 

[Kjell Eilertsen]

Steam, developers and publishers are legally bound to make the game available for you to download and manage for your own if they are to disappear, so I wouldn't be too worried about that.

 

[stenyak]

Steam, developers and publishers are legally bound to make the game available for you to download and manage for your own if they are to disappear, so I wouldn't be too worried about that.

We can probably assume that any company closing doors won't be able to direct new resources at removing DRM from all their past games in order to make new DRM-free releases (since their problem is precisely the lack of resources). They may pay a fine to Steam or whatever, but other than that I wouldn't expect anything. I'd love to be wrong though.

In that case, will Steam then devote some of their own resources to reverse engineer (i.e. "legally crack") the DRM out of those games? At first sight, that sounds far fetched. Could you please link to the legal clauses you mentioned? Thanks!

(then there's also the problem of Steam itself closing down, which will probably be lots of fun for the consumers too )

 

[Dinca Andrei]

I dont think i will be playing this game after 10-15 years...by then will appear another one from KS or other studio who knows,but if you like to have a DVD i understand.....its easy to burn a DVD with the game from steam instalation folder....and use a marker to put the serial on the DVD case....ofcourse it will not have an outo install function but you will have a copy of the game on DVD... and with a printer you can even print yourself a cover for that DVD

 

[Kjell Eilertsen]

We can probably assume that any company closing doors won't be able to direct new resources at removing DRM from all their past games in order to make new DRM-free releases (since their problem is precisely the lack of resources). They may pay a fine to Steam or whatever, but other than that I wouldn't expect anything. I'd love to be wrong though.

In that case, will Steam then devote some of their own resources to reverse engineer (i.e. "legally crack") the DRM out of those games? At first sight, that sounds far fetched. Could you please link to the legal clauses you mentioned? Thanks!

(then there's also the problem of Steam itself closing down, which will probably be lots of fun for the consumers too )

I don't have any links on the topic sorry, but I was googling this a lot due to the fact that Games for Windows Live is shutting down soon and there I'll face the same problem, games like Fable 3 doesn't run without GFWL so they will have to patch that out for people to be able to play.

 

[stenyak]

I dont think i will be playing this game after 10-15 years...by then will appear another one from KS or other studio who knows,but if you like to have a DVD i understand.....its easy to burn a DVD with the game from steam instalation folder....and use a marker to put the serial on the DVD case....ofcourse it will not have an outo install function but you will have a copy of the game on DVD... and with a printer you can even print yourself a cover for that DVD

DVDs? Heheh, you must have mistaken me for someone from the past

My purpose is not to collect plastic discs, but rather to get what I pay for: the software.

I'd love to use the software I legally own whenever I want, wherever I want; and not have to resort to pirate versions, as if I had never paid.

For example, I just learned through @Kjell Eilertsen that GWFL is shutting down. Fortunately Rockstar survived this world crisis, otherwise I'd be stuck with two awesome GTA4-themed beermats and a big map of a legally-inaccessible city.

 

[Dinca Andrei]

I was just thinking outloud .....many things die this days.....
I think of this way....i buy a game digital or not and play it till i get bored if i get bored.But no way ill play it for years in a row....if its going down its going down....I pay for fun...the first momments.....after that is just" mehh...let me play it for 100 times...for old sake.."
Not the same feeling.And i dont thinik something that catastrophic will happend verry soon....